title: Endothelial Grb2-associated binder 1 is crucial for postnatal angiogenesis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Grb2-associated binder 1 (Gab1), a scaffolding adaptor protein, plays an important role in transmitting key signals that control cell growth, differentiation, and function from multiple tyrosine kinase receptors. The study was designed to investigate the role of endothelial Gab1 in angiogenesis and its underlying molecular mechanisms.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Using Cre-Lox recombination technology, we generated endothelial-specific Gab1 knockout (Gab1-ecKO) mice. Gab1-ecKO mice are viable and showed no obvious developmental defects in the vascular system. To analyze the role of Gab1 in postnatal angiogenesis, we used hindlimb ischemia and Matrigel plug models. We found that loss of endothelial Gab1 in mice dramatically impaired postnatal angiogenesis. Gab1-ecKO mice had impaired ischemia-initiated blood flow recovery, exhibited reduced angiogenesis, and were associated with marked limb necrosis. We further observed significant endothelial cell (EC) death in the ischemic hindlimb of Gab1-ecKO mice. Matrigel plug assay showed that hepatocyte growth factor (HGF)-mediated angiogenesis was inhibited in Gab1-ecKO mice. In vitro studies showed that Gab1 was required for HGF-induced EC migration, tube formation, and microvessel sprouting. Mechanistically, HGF stimulated Gab1 tyrosine phosphorylation in ECs, leading to activation of extracellular regulated MAP kinase 1/2 and Akt, which are angiogenic and survival signaling.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Gab1 is essential for postnatal angiogenesis through mediating angiogenic and survival signaling.
authors.affiliation: Aab Cardiovascular Research Institute and Department of Medicine, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, 601 Elmwood Ave, Box CVRI, Rochester, NY 14642, USA.
authors.forename: Jinjing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Weiye
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Chang Hoon
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Ha
authors.forename: Ji Young
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Chelsea
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Eileen M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Redmond
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hamik
authors.forename: Mukesh K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Jain
authors.forename: Gen-Sheng
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Zheng Gen
authors.initials: ZG
authors.lastname: Jin
mesh_terms: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D000818:Animals; D002465:Cell Movement; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002470:Cell Survival; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D006614:Hindlimb; D007511:Ischemia / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1 / Q000378:metabolism; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000098:blood supply*; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D010766:Phosphorylation; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / Q000378:metabolism; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012039:Regional Blood Flow; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013997:Time Factors; D014443:Tyrosine
chemical_list: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; C490897:Gab1 protein, mouse; D010750:Phosphoproteins; D014443:Tyrosine; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3